


the only exception

by CaitHasAUkulele



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Basketball, Fluff, M/M, Song Lyrics, Song fic, brief mention of sex but only like a sentence and no smut, highschool, josh makes him love, paramore song fic, the only exception, tyler doesn't believe in love, tyler falls in love again, tyler writes songs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-15 02:49:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7203362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaitHasAUkulele/pseuds/CaitHasAUkulele
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyler Joseph doesn't believe in love. His parents broke up, his family fell apart. After all that how could he? Josh...well Josh is Josh. He loves Tyler and slowly Tyler loves Josh.</p>
<p>lmao i suck at summaries but it's okay, kinda cringe but cute???? idk?????</p>
            </blockquote>





	the only exception

“When I was younger I saw my daddy cry  
And curse at the wind.  
He broke his own heart and I watched  
As he tried to reassemble it.”

*12 year old Tyler*  
Tyler’s mom and dad were arguing again. He could hear shouting and screaming from downstairs, even though he had shut himself in his room. His brothers had gone out and his sister was round her friends house. He could hear his dad crying at his mom using sentences like ‘I’m trying for you’ and other pathetic excuses to why he was out so late. Usually he’d creep into Zack’s room and curl into his brother, but now he couldn’t. Tyler took out his kinda crappy phone and fumbled round until he saw Josh’s contact on the screen. He went under his blankets and hit the call button. It rung for a while before Josh’s voice crackled through the receiver.  
“Hey Ty, what’s up?” Josh said, bright and cheerful like allways.  
“They’re arguing so loud Josh, so loud.” Tyler said into the receiver, quiet and nervous.  
“Oh Ty, are you okay? Where’s Zack?” Josh fired the questions quickly, concern filling his words.  
“Out, everyone except me is out.”  
“Come round, you can stay for the night. I’ll ride down, and we can bike back together.”  
“You sure Josh?” Tyler asked, always reluctant to stay round friends houses.  
“I’ll be there in 20 minutes, pack a bag and meet me round the side. See you soon Ty.”  
“Bye Jish.” Tyler clicked the phone off, and packed some clothes and random stuff into a bag. He wrote a note and put in by the door, before slipping out to get his bike. No one noticed he was gone until hours later when his mom text to have a nice time. Tyler was curled up on Josh’s chest by then, so he chose to ignore it. 

“And my momma swore  
That she would never let herself forget.”

*13 year old Tyler*  
It’d been 6 months since his dad left, he moved the other side of town with his new girlfriend. His mom was doing okay he supposed, she drunk more than she used to but he couldn’t blame her.  
“We’re better off without him. You don’t need a dad, I can do it by myself. You’re good kids, and I’ll make sure you stay that way.” She’d spoken round dinner one night.  
Tyler missed the old days, everyone had seemed to change over the last few months. His mom and sister had grown bitter towards his dad, his brothers hated him. Tyler did too, he left his family for a younger woman. He couldn’t forgive him. The only thing that hadn’t changed was Josh. Josh was very much still funny Josh with his large music collection and cool t-shirts and warm hugs. Tyler was glad he had Josh, he was the only thing that ever stayed the same. 

“And that was the day that I promised  
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist.”

*14 year old Tyler*  
Tyler had started playing the Piano, he wrote songs full of pain and sadness masked with fast tempos and happy sounds. He sung words of sorrow with the expression of joy. Josh was fascinated and would sit for as long as Tyler would let him just listening to him play. The themes in the songs seemed to recur a lot, sadness and emptiness and trust. His songs sounded like prayers and Josh would listen all day.  
“Why don’t you sing about love Tyler?” Josh asked one day, while they ate Pizza on Tyler’s bed.  
“What?” Tyler asked, shocked at the sudden question when 5 minutes ago they’d been talking about Crash Bandicoot  
“All your songs, they’re deep. But they’re not about love or anything. Why?” Josh asked. He knew that Jenna girl at school liked him and he had his suspicions he liked her too, judging by the blush on his face when she touched his arm or laughed at his jokes.  
Tyler sighed, chucked his pizza back on the plate and looked at his friend.  
“Why would I sing about something that doesn’t exist Jish?” He smiled sadly before digging back into his pizza.  
Josh was deflated, he knew love existed. He just wished Tyler could see it too. 

“And up until now I have sworn to myself  
That I'm content with loneliness.  
Because none of it was ever worth the risk.”

*15 year old Tyler*  
It was the week of the championship game for Tyler’s basketball game. He’d stayed clear of Josh for a few weeks, knowing he’d distract him from his practise. Tyler had left Maths and was walking to the gym for lunch break practise when he heard a familiar voice shout his name down the corridor.  
“Hi Josh, what’s up?” Tyler asked, turning round with a questioning look on his face.  
“What’s up? Shouldn’t I be asking you seeing as you’ve been ignoring me for days. What’s going on Ty?”  
Tyler sighed, he knew Josh wouldn’t get it.  
“Josh, I gotta practise. I’m busy all the time, you know how it is,” Josh look deflated and upset, his eyes wide and sad. “How about we hang out after the game on Friday? I won’t have practise every day then so we can spend the weekend together.”  
“I was gonna ask if you wanted to come to a show with me on Thursday, I got us tickets to see Sum 41”  
Tyler cried on the inside. He really REALLY wanted to go, but he had to go to practise. He didn’t want to lose sight of the goal. Not even for his best friend. All he needed was his basket ball anyway, Josh was more of a distraction these days.  
“Why don’t you take Mark? Look I’m sorry I gotta go Josh, see you after the game on Thursday.”  
So what if Josh shut himself in a cubicle and cried. So what if he had accidently fallen for Tyler over the last year and felt destroyed. He’d support his friend, because that’s all he could do. 

“I've got a tight grip on reality,  
But I can't let go of what's in front of me here.”  
*at the game*  
Tyler was breathing fast, the ball hit the floor in an almost perfect beat as he dribbled down the court. He passed it to a teammate who threw it back once he was in the clear. He was approaching the basket, with just 12 seconds on the clock. This shot would win the game. He had to get this in, he had to. Tyler dodged around two taller guys until he was close enough to shoot. The crowd was roaring but it all faded out to Tyler and things moved in slow-motion. The ball left his hands and made a perfect arch to the net, it hit the side. It rolled around the rim before dropping through. Tyler couldn’t move, he’d just won the game. He could hear the buzzer go off and oh my god he’d done it he’d actually done it.  
He was immediately surrounded by his teammates and watching friends, cheering him and lifting him up. He was thrown around for, laughing and giggling.  
He saw Josh standing a few feet away, practically beaming. His face was lit with joy for his friend and Tyler was quick to hurl himself over to his friend and hug him.  
“I’m so proud, Jesus Tyler I was so nervous. Well Done Ty!” Josh rushed out, hugging his friend back.  
“Thank you thank you thank you, oh my god. I’m so sorry I’ve been crap lately. I’m so sorry I missed the gig. I’m sorry.” Tyler was practically crying, with joy and fear and anger at himself. He left his friend for a win, had it really been worth it?  
“Shut up you idiot, I don’t care. You won!” Josh said letting go finally, and stepping back, admiring his slightly sweaty friend.  
“Yo Ty, you coming out with us?” One of his teammates asked.  
He knew he should go and celebrate with the team, do the event like he was supposed to. That was the bittersweet reality. But he had Josh in front of him and he didn’t want to let go of his best friend.  
“Nah, I’ll see you soon. I’m gonna hang with Josh.  
“Your loss, bye dude!” The guys all ran off, ready to celebrate.  
Josh grinned at Tyler.  
“I have my probationary license, we could drive down to the Lake. My uncle lives down there but he’s on holiday, so we can have the house for the night and drive back on Sunday? Your mom said you could go, I’ve kinda been meaning to go with you for a while.” Josh blushed at how planned out everything was, it almost sounded like a date. Tyler grinned and nodded, throwing his arms around Josh. 

 

“Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream.”

 

It had taken them an hour to drive to the lake, so it was around 9. They’d walked down to the bottom of the pier and were sitting with their feet dangling off the edge, watching the waves below them.  
Tyler looked pretty, he had changed into black jeans and a black shirt with a floral band round the bottom. The setting sun’s light cast over him making him glow and fuck josh liked him alot.  
“Do you remember when I played you my songs, and you asked me why I didn’t sing about love. And I told you I didn’t believe in love.”  
Josh remember well. The pizza, the questions, the defeat. He simply nodded.  
“Well, I think I changed my mind.”  
Josh was surprised and whipped his round to look at Tyler. He was looking down and there was a faint blush on his cheeks.  
“How come?” Josh’s voice came out soft and quiet, as if his voice box knew to tread carefully.  
“I looked around me, I saw everything differently. I saw the world in a new light and everything was beautiful. I still struggle, but it’s easier now. And um…” Tyler paused, looking up and into Josh’s eyes. Josh was breathless at the beauty of the words and Tyler himself. “I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while now...I’ve sorted loved you. You were always in the light, I’ve always thought you were beautiful. And I’m sorry, I know you don’t like me like that and we’re still friends but I thought I shoul-” Tyler was cut off by Josh’s lips on his, kissing him like it was the last time they would ever kiss when really it was the first. It was passionate and long and meaningful. That was all Tyler wanted, meaning.  
“And I’m on my way to believing”  
Skin on skin, pressed close as they moved together in synch. A year since the pier, and a year of love and meaning. He was in love, and Josh gave him his world.  
“Josh...please” he whined, pressing against him.  
The noises the boys made were sin, beautiful sin. Tyler was in love. 

“And I’m on my way to believing.”  
The last boxes were unpacked, they sat on the floor of their apartment together. An innocent kiss and blushing cheeks.  
“I’m glad you fell in love with me.”  
“I’m glad I fell in love with you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> lmao sorry if this was bad i tried
> 
> anyway please comment and leave kudos!!!


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